


outstretched arms, open hearts

by kblaze2



Series: i'm coming home to you [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Homecoming, M/M, Married Couple, Military, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, airport
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 16:33:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10768161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kblaze2/pseuds/kblaze2
Summary: Bucky comes home after a seven month deployment. Steve's pretty excited about it.





	outstretched arms, open hearts

**Author's Note:**

> this is completely self-indulgent tbh and this is the shortest thing i've ever written and i wrote it in like an hour here ya go

Two-hundred and fourteen days.

Steve hasn't seen Bucky for seven fucking months.

He's never been this apart from him for as long as he's known him. And he's known Bucky for nearly ten years now.

Nat introduced them (and won't let them forget it) at Sam's birthday party freshman year of college, and the connection was instantaneous. It was like they were magnets, the way they sat pressed against each other on that couch all night, even though there were two other cushions worth of space. Steve doesn’t think he'd ever been that close to anybody before in his life.

And it went on like that. All their friends continuously gagged at them whenever they were being too "disgustingly cute" (Sam's words), and yet they all shed tears at their wedding. Except Nat, of course. She did look a tad misty-eyed, though, and that's more than Steve could've asked for. He on the other hand, was a blubbering mess, and Bucky was no better.

At least they were happy tears, because a few months after that? Bucky sat Steve down and said:

"I'm joining the Army."

And Steve? Well, first he thought he was joking. It was so random, so out of the blue, so un-Bucky that he didn't understand. No, that's not true. It's probably one of the most characteristically Bucky things he could've decided. He tries to hide it (for some reason Steve can't fathom), but he loves helping people. He loves making the people smile, being the reason behind it, Steve knows. Bucky makes him laugh more than anyone on the planet. Bucky cares for people. He just does. He's a big brother and a softie and helps strangers because he's just that _good_. Not that Steve doesn't love it, not that he's not in the same boat. It's probably one of the reasons their relationship is so strong, when he thinks about it. That they both have this intrinsic and unwavering affinity for helping others, for doing right. Bucky… may have more unorthodox methods than Steve, but it's still there, right at his core. Right there in the punches he throws or the flirtatious smiles he gives or the way he tickles Becca until she pees, because he knows she needed a laugh. And also, he's a little shit. More so than Steve. Although Steve maintains he isn't one at all, but if Bucky wants to continue this argument then Steve will not go down without a fight. So he's stubborn. So what? At least he's not as high on the shit-scale as Bucky. Even if Sam and Clint disagree.

So it took a while for Steve to process that look in Bucky's eyes when he told him, steely and true, eyes clear. And Steve cried harder than he did on his wedding day, so much so that he had an asthma attack, and after Bucky rushed for his inhaler, they laughed. It was snotty and gross and they both kept snorting and Steve's throat hurt from everything but there was Bucky the whole time. Hand in his and making sure Steve could breathe, and looking at him like he was the best goddamn thing he'd ever laid eyes on. Steve knows the feeling. So he didn't do Bucky the disrespect of asking if he was sure. He just looked at him, twined his fingers into Bucky's hair (long, then), rested their foreheads together, and whispered:

"Okay."

And Bucky kissed him with a fervor Steve hadn't experienced since the proposal, and that was near enough to make him burst into tears again. Because he was in love with this self-sacrificing idiot, and Steve wasn't gonna stand in the way of whatever journey he wanted to take, whatever journey he needed. Steve would give Bucky anything; he'd follow him to the ends of the Earth. And he knows Bucky would do the same. That's why it truly is, one hundred percent, absolutely, okay.

It kinda sucks balls, though.

He hasn't seen his husband for seven fucking months. They'd only been married a year before Bucky shipped out for his deployment, and a few months of that were lost when he was at Basic. Steve hadn't seen Bucky with short hair since the night they met, and even then it was nearing his ears. Seeing him with that Army regulation buzzcut kinda made something swell in Steve's heart. And his dick, too, but he took care of that nearly the minute Bucky walked in the door. He's still working on the pride he feels, though. Sometimes it's arresting, thinking about everything Bucky's accomplished, everything he's achieved, just because he wanted to be a Good Samaritan, wanted to fight for lives, for others. For himself, probably, but Steve doesn't think about that. Not until Bucky's willing to share it with him. And that'll be when he's ready to come home, when he's found what he's looking for, Steve knows that, too. Knows it like he knows the back of his hand, like he knows the back of _Bucky's_ hand, if he's being honest. The only person he knows better than himself is Bucky Barnes, and that's just the kismet of it all, really. He was meant to love someone like this, with all his heart, the giant, overflowing heart that stretches into all five feet and 120 pounds of him.

And Bucky hasn't even _seen_ his tattoo yet.

Admittedly, it's not somewhere Bucky can easily see on their grainy Skype calls, but Steve still prides himself on the fact that he's kept it a secret this long. To be fair, it was a very impulse decision, and he might've been a little drunk, given the fact that it was his birthday and they were celebrating at Nat's house and he very much missed his husband, as it was the first birthday without him there, and Steve's a very emotional drunk. Also he's pretty sure Clint and Tony talked him into it. Hell, he's pretty sure Tony _drove_ him to the tattoo parlor. Well, not drove, because he was also drunk. So Steve's pretty sure _Happy_ drove them to the tattoo parlor.

Where Steve got a star tattooed on his wrist. Because he's a sap and his husband is an astrology nerd and a history nerd and in the Army. Clint claims it's because "Bucky's the light of his life" or whatever. Which, is not wrong. But Steve would never say that out loud. Maybe to Bucky, because he knows it would make him laugh. But that would require Bucky actually seeing the tattoo first.

Which should in the next few hours. Because Steve? Is at the airport right now, with an ostentatious and unnecessary bouquet of flowers and a giant Toblerone in his hands. Bucky's flight just landed, according to the flashing Arrivals sign, and Steve's damn near vibrating with excitement at this point. It's been _seven months_ , for fuck's sake. His hands are allowed to shake.

"Oh, my God, give me those before you drop them," Sam says, annoyed, snatching the flowers and candy out of Steve's hands. He rolls his eyes, but Steve can see the little tremors in his hands, too. The way his eyes keep flicking between the Arrivals board and the gate doors.

"Steve, you need to relax. I'm not sure Bucky would love to walk through those doors to you having an asthma attack," Nat tells him, feigning nonchalance with her crossed arms and comfortable stance. Steve knows her well enough to see she's just as excited as he is. That's why she's here.

Still, he says, eyes barely leaving the doors, "Seven months. Seven."

"We know. We were there," Clint says from behind them, finally coming back from Starbucks with some Venti monstrosity in his hands.

"Dude, that's where you went?" Sam near squeaks. "I thought you went to the bathroom." Clint just sips his drink and shrugs.

"I don't know why you're surprised when Clint does anything anymore," Natasha comments, and Sam opens his mouth to respond, then promptly closes it, stumped.

And then.

And _then_. There's a honking noise, which means baggage claim has started, which means people will start filtering through soon, which means _Bucky_ will be coming through those doors any minute now. Fuck, Steve's gonna lose it.

"I'm gonna lose it," he says.

"We know," they all respond at once. Nat, at least, takes his hand.

People start coming through a couple minutes later, and none of them are Bucky. Steve can tell it's the Business class people, though, so he tells himself to calm down. But then five more minutes pass, and Bucky _still_ hasn't come through, and Steve really is gonna lose it.

"He's probably helping everyone find their bags," Nat says, and Steve can see the eye roll without even looking back at her, just like how he can see the brief tug to her lips. Nat really prides herself on being unreadable, but she's pretty damn predictable. Maybe she lets Steve read her. He should probably feel honored.

"Yeah," Steve says, because he actually _knows_ that, because he knows Bucky Barnes frontwards, backwards, sideways, upside down, inside out, and _yet_. His heart still beats frantically because _What if he didn't make the flight? What if Steve got the wrong date? What if what if what if_.

And then it's like time slows down. Because there's a horde of old ladies but behind them? There's Bucky (of course), looking good-naturedly pleased with himself, dressed in his fatigues, big tan pack on his back. And he doesn't see Steve at first, but it doesn't matter, because Steve is running at him before he even knows what's happening and he sees when Bucky sees him, sees the ear splitting grin that takes over his face, sees the way his arms open and lift, and Steve just _lunges_ at him. He quite literally jumps into Bucky's arms, and Jesus Christ, it's _home_.

Bucky's arms wrap around him, holding Steve above ground, and he's squeezing so tight, not that Steve gives a single fucking shit, because he's holding back just as tight, and he's never fucking letting go. He hides his face in Bucky's neck, and even through the clean-pressed fatigues, Steve can still smell _Bucky_ , that hint of sandalwood and vanilla that shouldn't work but it does, because it's Bucky and it's home and it's the best thing Steve's ever known.

He's definitely crying. It's okay, though. He has good reason.

Bucky moves his head back, and his hat catches on Steve's ear, and it starts to fall, but Steve reaches for it, and then Bucky's eyes are right there, and they're wet, too, and they're shining like the goddamn sun. Bucky is here and he's looking at Steve and he's smiling and Steve never wants to look at anything else again, could never see anything so bright, so inviting, so beautiful. He can't believe he's real. That Bucky's finally home.

"Stevie," he whispers, and Steve can't anymore, he surges forward and kisses him. Kisses him so fucking hard he knocks their noses together, but neither of them gives a shit. One of Bucky's hands comes up to cup the back of Steve's head, and Steve's still holding onto his stupid hat and the other arm is wrapped tight around Bucky's neck, and Bucky's swaying them. His lips taste like cherries, a little, and Steve drinks it in, takes in everything about him. Bucky parts his lips and Steve takes the offer gladly, opening his mouth for Bucky, letting him suck on his bottom lip, letting him in. It's so goddamn good Steve gets lost in it, falls in a haze where all he knows are Bucky's hips between his legs and his tongue in his mouth and his hands on his skin.

He's so fucking in love.

Bucky pulls away, and he's looking at Steve with those perfect blue eyes of his again, and he rests his hand against Steve's cheek. Using his thumb, he swipes at Steve's tears, and the small smile he gives him is one of the cutest things Steve's ever seen. He's missed him so much.

"I love you," Steve says, even though he knows Bucky knows. But he hasn't said it to his face in seven fucking months and he has a lot of time to make up for. "I love you so much. I'm so glad you're home. I missed you."

"Not as much as I missed you," Bucky says, and Steve would take the bait, try and one-up him, if it weren't for the way Bucky's voice cracks when he says it, the way he swallows hard after. Steve just leans in and kisses him again, softer now. Slower and sweeter. He lets his heart rate go down, tangles his fingers in the short bit of Bucky's hair. Bucky hums against him, squeezes his hands around Steve's hips, and gives him one, two, three more pecks. Steve hugs him tight again, and then he's sliding down, face still buried in Bucky's uniform. His feet hit the floor and Bucky's lips press to his head, and honestly Steve could stay right here for the rest of eternity.

"Okay," Bucky whispers, and Steve's not sure if it's a question, but either way he nods, and pulls himself away. Bucky keeps his arm around him, though, kisses his hair again. Steve leans up and settles Bucky's hat back on his head. Bucky smiles at him. Steve smiles back.

Then they're walking, and Bucky's grinning again. "Hey!" and he sounds so goddamn happy to see his friends there, Steve loves it. Loves them for making him let them come along.

Bucky steps away from Steve to greet them, and gets wrapped in a joint hug by both Sam and Clint. They kind of fight for it at first, but then just give up and tangle themselves with Bucky, nearly knocking him to the ground in their haste. Clint almost lost his drink.

"I got you these flowers," Sam lies when they separate, brandishing them in front of Bucky's face.

"I got the Toblerone!" Clint inputs cheerfully, and Steve's too offended to speak.

Bucky only looks amused, and glances back at Steve knowingly, and goes with it. "I knew you loved me," Bucky says, and then kisses them both on the forehead, loudly. Sam grumbles, rubbing at the spot, while Clint just grins.

Then Bucky turns to Nat and Steve sees his throat work before he opens his arms to her. She steps into them easily and gracefully, carefully. She hooks her chin over his shoulder, and they press together, Bucky's arms around her small shoulders. Steve sees the way her fingers dig into the back of Bucky's uniform, the way her eyes squeeze tight, the way she lets herself _breathe_ for a second because Bucky's home and she won't say it out loud but he's one of the most important people in her life. Steve knows she was just as scared as he was, and they spent many nights pretending Nat was comforting Steve on his more anxious days, even though Steve knows he was helping her, too. Their relationship is better, because of that. That's why Steve nods and smiles at her over Bucky's shoulder, and why she returns it. And then her face shifts, and she stuffs all those emotions down, but she squeezes Bucky one last time before she pulls back and kisses his cheek.

"Welcome home," she says, and Bucky grips her arm for a second before she steps out of his space.

"Thanks," he says, voice hoarse. "Thanks for all being here guys, I really appreciate it," he tells them all, lifting his arm back up for Steve to fit under. Steve rests his head against Bucky.

"Did you really think we weren't gonna show up?" Clint asks, near outraged.

"Steve wouldn't let us at first. Tried to keep you all to himself," Sam retorts.

Bucky raises his eyebrow at him.

Steve straightens up. "Well, seeing as he's _my_ husband, I think I reserve the right to airport pickups and welcome home hugs," Steve replies, and then nestles closer to Bucky. Bucky drops another kiss on his forehead.

"He has a point."

"Whatever," Clint snorts. "You're only agreeing with him because you're married."

"That's kinda how it works, Clint," Bucky says. Clint, Nat, and Sam all roll their eyes.

"Yeah, because you didn't always take his side _before_ you were married," Sam deadpans.

Now Bucky and Steve roll their eyes. "Tom-ay-toe, tom-ah-toe," Bucky says, nonsensically, waving a hand flippantly. "I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

"Burgers?" Nat ventures.

"Damn straight," Bucky nods. Clint whoops and off they go, heading towards the parking garage.

Bucky slides his hand down Steve's arm, and makes to grab his hand when he startles. "Whoa. What's this?" He lifts Steve's arm up, tilting his wrist back and forth. Where the star tattoo sits, because Steve got that.

"Um. Tattoo," he says. Bucky rolls his eyes. "I got it in July." The _for you_ goes unsaid, but he knows Bucky knows.

Especially with the way Bucky stops them in the entrance to the parking garage and takes Steve's face in his hands, leans down and kisses him soft and warm and sure. Tugs gently at his bottom lip and dips his tongue in; the way Steve drowns in it, in him.

"Love you," Bucky mumbles against his lips. Steve smiles.

Clint whistles at them. "We know you're in love and married or whatever, but you're cutting into burger time!"

Bucky sneaks in another kiss before they (reluctantly) join their friends at the car. And at the restaurant, Bucky holds Steve's hand above the table, Steve's wrist facing up, and they laugh. They laugh and eat burgers and kiss to annoy their friends and they get fries thrown at them for their troubles and it only makes them laugh more.

Steve leans into Bucky when they're done eating, and watches as their stupid and amazing friends fight over paying the bill, and it feels just like home.

**Author's Note:**

> taking prompts for more homecoming au's @wakandabucky on twitter :)


End file.
